By Hishan Welmilla
Nagoya, Japan – Sri Lanka enjoyed a memorable day at the 5th Asian Para Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, with distance runner Pradeep Somasiri and long jumper Janani Dhananjana capturing gold medals, while Nuwan Indika Gamage secured silver in the men’s T44 100m. However, the day also brought disappointment as several Sri Lankan athletes narrowly missed out on podium finishes.
Pradeep Somasiri led Sri Lanka’s medal-winning performances with a historic victory in the men’s T46 1500m, clocking 4:03.25 to claim gold and establish a new Games record. His outstanding performance further confirmed his position among Asia’s leading para-athletes in the event.
Somasiri’s latest triumph was particularly significant as he had also won gold in the same event at the 2023 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, China, where he set a Games record of 4:05.14. His performance in Nagoya improved that previous mark by 1.89 seconds, demonstrating his continued progress at the highest level of Asian para-athletics.
He had also delivered an impressive performance at the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi, India, winning bronze in the men’s T46 1500m while setting a new Asian record in the event.
Sri Lanka’s second gold medal came through Janani Dhananjana, who triumphed in the women’s T47 long jump with an impressive leap of 5.52 metres. Her victory established a new Games record and added another significant achievement to her campaign in Nagoya.
The gold medal marked Dhananjana’s second medal at the 2026 Games, underlining her consistency and competitive ability on the continental stage. She had earlier narrowly missed a podium finish in the women’s T47 100m, making her gold-medal performance in the long jump an impressive comeback.
Nuwan Indika Gamage added a silver medal to Sri Lanka’s tally in the men’s T44 100m, recording a season’s best time of 11.58 seconds. Although he could not repeat his gold-medal achievement from Hangzhou, Indika’s performance highlighted his continued competitiveness at the Asian level.
At the 2023 Asian Para Games, Indika won gold in the same event with a Games-record time of 11.63 seconds. His latest performance in Nagoya was 0.05 seconds faster than his previous Games-winning time, reflecting his progress despite finishing with silver this time.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s medal hopes in the men’s F44 javelin throw suffered a setback when Samitha Dulan finished fourth. The former world record holder and reigning Asian record holder managed a best throw of 64.10 metres but was unable to secure a place on the podium.
Dulan had been among Sri Lanka’s leading medal prospects, and his fourth-place finish was a disappointing outcome for the Sri Lankan camp. Despite his considerable achievements in the event, the competition in Nagoya proved challenging as he fell short of the medals.
Sri Lankan swimmers Galina Bandara and Naveed Rahim also finished fourth in their respective 100m S9 finals. Galina clocked 1:09.00 in the women’s event, while Naveed recorded 58.78 seconds in the men’s final. Both athletes produced commendable performances but narrowly missed out on a place among the medal winners.
Buddika Indrapala was the final Sri Lankan athlete to compete in the day’s events, contesting the men’s T42 final. He finished fourth with a time of 13.39 seconds, narrowly missing the bronze medal and bringing Sri Lanka’s competition schedule to a close with another near-podium finish.
Despite the disappointment of several fourth-place finishes, the gold medals won by Somasiri and Dhananjana, together with Indika’s silver, provided significant highlights for Sri Lanka at the continental competition.
The performances also demonstrated the determination and competitive spirit of Sri Lanka’s para-athletes, many of whom continued to challenge the region’s leading competitors in their respective events at the 5th Asian Para Games in Japan.
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